Increasing Services to Early Childhood Students by Providing More Classrooms and Integrating Students.

Fink, Barbara B.

A school psychologist implemented a practicum intervention designed to increase services to all students eligible for Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) and Children At Risk Educationally (CARE) programs in 12 elementary school districts in the rural Midwest. Objectives of the intervention were that: (1) superintendents in all school districts in the county that had enough students eligible for CARE/ECSE to justify adding a classroom would do so; and (2) the names of all children eligible for CARE/ECSE be put on a class list. Both objectives were to be met before the beginning of the next school year. County superintendents were interviewed and board meeting reports were reviewed in an effort to determine whether the district would provide CARE/ECSE classrooms for the coming school year. The list of eligible students and the school districts' class lists were reviewed to determine whether each eligible student was enrolled in a class. As a result of the intervention, classrooms were provided in districts that had not provided local service, and students identified as eligible were enrolled. In the future, more students will remain in their home district, parent visits to school and classroom will be more convenient, and students will benefit from participation in integrated classrooms. (RH)